Barack Obama to Write a Memoir on the Island Once Owned by Marlon Brando

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Barack Obama knew he needed an extraordinary place to write his first post–White House memoir, and it seems that he’s found the perfect setting.

The former president — who signed a book deal with Penguin Random House in February — chose an atoll called Tetiaroa for his book-writing adventures. Located in the South Pacific, Tetiaroa was once owned by Marlon Brando, the iconic actor, film director, and activist who starred in classics like The Godfather and A Streetcar Named Desire.

The Daily Beast called Obama’s writing island of choice a “small necklace of coral islets strung together around a quiet lagoon,” and while it seems to be remote, it’s a 20-minute flight from an airport in Tahiti. Tahiti’s royal family would use Tetiaroa as a holiday retreat.

Although Obama initially scouted the paradise earlier this month, Brando first visited the tiny island in 1960, when he was searching for a location for his movie Mutiny on the Bounty. He purchased the island for $200,000 seven years later; since his death, in 2004, a luxury resort dedicated to supporting the local culture and environment has opened.

Naturally, the island’s resort — The Brando — includes a spa, so Obama can indulge in some R&R when he’s taking a break from his book writing. After all the White House stress, we don’t blame him for wanting to kick back and relax. Plus, there will be plenty of activities for when he feels adventurous, like he when he went kitesurfing during his British Virgin Islands trip with Richard Branson. There resort provides opportunities to paddle, snorkel, and kayak. Seeing more photos of Obama moving on and living his best life may seem bittersweet at times, but at this point he’s more than earned it.